Queen Saleha of Brunei


Saleha binti Mohamed Alam bin Abdul Rahaman is the Queen of Brunei as the wife of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

Early life and education

Queen Saleha was born on 7 October 1946 in Brunei Town to Pengiran Anak Mohamed Alam ibn Pengiran Anak Abdul Rahman and Pengiran Anak Besar binti Pengiran Anak Metassan. Saleha is the oldest of their nine children.
Saleha began her education privately at the school set up for the royal family at Istana Darul Hana. She later attended the Raja Isteri Girls' High School. After her marriage, she traveled with her husband to the United Kingdom so that he could attend Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. While there Saleha studied at Cygnets School and became fluent in English.

Marriage and issue

On 29 July 1965, Saleha married Hassanal Bolkiah, then the Crown Prince of Brunei. The Akad Nikah ceremony was performed at Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque with a celebration that evening at Istana Darul Hana. Three days of events followed with banquets at Istana Darul Hana and Istana Edinburgh.
Saleha's father, Pengiran Anak Mohammad Alam, and the sultan's mother, Queen Damit, were siblings making them first cousins. Two of her siblings also married the siblings of her husband. Her brother, Mohammad Yusof, married Princess Nor'ain in 1967 and her sister, Zariah, married Prince Mohamed Bolkiah in 1970.
Queen Saleha and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah had two sons and four daughters. She lives together with her children and their families at Istana Nurul Iman.
  • Princess Rashidah Sa'adatul
  • Princess Muta-Wakkilah Hayatul
  • Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah
  • Princess Majeedah Nuurul
  • Princess Hafizah Sururul
  • Prince Abdul Malik
The Sultan went on to marry Mariam Abdul Aziz in 1981 and Azrinaz Mazhar Hakim in 2005. He has four children from his second marriage and two children from his third. Both marriages ended in divorce so Saleha is the only wife he is still married to.

Royal duties

Saleha serves as the patron of several organisations, such as the Brunei Darussalam Women's Council, Brunei Shell Women Association, the Women Graduates' Association, the Women's Institute, PERTIWI, PEKERTI, the Girl Guides Association of Brunei Darussalam, the Brunei Government Senior Officers Wives Welfare Association.
She also hosts the wives of heads of state, ambassadors, and other foreign dignitaries when they are in Brunei.

Hobbies and interests

Saleha has a fish pond, a bird park, and a fruit garden because she enjoys the outdoors. Reading is one of her pastimes, in addition to playing traditional Bruneian games like pasang and congkak in addition to badminton.

Titles, styles, and honours

Title and style

Brunei has a complex system of titles. Saleha's current style and title can be translated as Her Majesty Queen Saleha.
  • 7 October 1946 – 29 July 1965: Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Saleha binti Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Mohamed Alam
  • 29 July 1965 – 5 October 1967: Yang Teramat Mulia Duli Pengiran Isteri Anak Saleha binti Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Mohamed Alam
  • 5 October 1967 – present: Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha binti Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Mohamed Alam

    Honours

National

Ancestry